Bill English has been criticised for claiming the country doesn't need any more prisons.
The Finance Minister told TVNZ's Q&A that there'll be no more prisons built under his watch, calling them a moral and fiscal failure.
But Sensible Sentencing Trust's Garth Mcvicar has deplored the comments, saying Mr English has no understanding of what prisons are for.
He says much of the good work from National and Act has now been destroyed, and it seems the Government has now deserted victims of crime.
Very refreshing that in election year a Crown Minister is not racheting up crime and punishment, promising new laws and harsher sentences. Also refreshing that a Minister is speaking rationally about solutions that don't involve 'toughening up' and heightening public fears whilst at the same time points out the costs involved that frankly are unaffordable socially and financially. Then along comes Garth talking about the 'good work' that has been destroyed by Mr English's statements, the 'good work' built on misleading the public with erroneous figures on the '3 strikes' statistics by honest Wild Bill Davey Garrett and his side kick one-eyed Rodney, one eye on the perks and the other Wild Bill's back for when he needed to plunge the dagger in. Poor fellows, I hope Garthy is currently writing to Bill English and explaining what prisons are for because Bill has apparently led a very sheltered life and has no idea.
A last a politician that sees the futility of prisons.
ReplyDeleteGarth McVicar is a idiot and is just a vengeful person.
Anyone who is interested in looking a system of justice without imprisoning huge numbers of people should look at the Finland.
garth Mcvicar is a proven wel known liar along side his best mate David Garrett who they both used the courts to gag the family of the dead child childs famil Garrett stole from and Mcvicar cover up Garretts criminal past.
ReplyDeleteMcvicar thinsk its OK to stab to death teenagers if they write on wall.
The disturbing part is Mcvicar is usuing post PTSD victims for his hate and revenge club and placing fear into the old and frail so he can extract money from them.
Get a real job Mcvicar and stop leaching of the victims to line your pocket
Yes,I have misgivings about his use of tragedy to promote a cause. Probably, more so because of his inconsistency in his selection of who or what 'true' victims are. Interesting, to this point he seems to have lost his relevance after a number of elections bleating on his tired message to buy some favours in return for votes.
ReplyDeleteNZ herald paper reminder about Garth Mcvicars legal adviser to the Sensible Sentencing Trust
ReplyDeleteDavid Garrett law and order
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-el ection-2008/news/article.cfm?c_id=1 501799&objectid=10543271
“three strikes” law and order policy, stunned panellists and production staff on TV One’s Eye To Eye with behaviour described as “obnoxious” and “unbelievably unprofessional”.
Sources said Garrett turned up drunk and offended production staff when the Willie Jackson-fronted show was recorded at TVNZ studios in June.
“He was so extreme, I couldn’t believe it,” said one. “He was in the green room and he was so drunk. Another said: “He disgraced himself. The show was a complete disaster”.
One studio staffer was so concerned about Garrett’s condition she alerted executive producer Claudette Hauiti. After talking to Garrett, Hauiti decided to let him appear on the show.
During the show, Garrett, speaking slowly and occasionally slurring, made rambling comments which were rubbished by the other panellists, particularly former Act MP Deborah Coddington.Garrett: “Paedophiles, like homosexuals, 30 years ago homosexuals had, according to experts, a disease and they needed to be cured and it was a spectacular failure because homosexuality is a sexual orientation, so we decided that because there were 10 per cent of people who were homosexual it was no longer a disease. Paedophiles cannot be cured any better than …”
Coddington: “You can’t bring homosexuality into it … ”
Jackson later dismissed it as a “stupid analogy” and accused Garrett of having an “obsession” with homosexuals.
Hauiti said Eye To Eye regularly sought out controversial guests and Garrett was invited on as a legal adviser to the Sensible Sentencing Trust. “I did find him to be obnoxious. I told him we would never have him back again.”
Coddington said she was shocked by Garrett’s attitude: “He was really rude to me. He walked up and said `Deborah Coddington, my brother hates you’.”
She said recording was stopped several times because of Garrett’s behaviour but didn’t think any more about the incident until Act announced Garrett as a list candidate.
“Then I saw a picture of him and I thought, `holy moly, it’s him’.
Classic. What's less well known is that his and McVicar's figures supporting 3 strikes were manipulated - that is in both the historical examples they used, and their projections of the benefits. The public swallowed more bs than we realise from Garrett and McVicar and I remain convinced that Power's unpredicted retirement from politics comes from the same mire. What drove it all, a political voice for Mc Vicar and another chance on the bandwagon for Rodney and his 'new' side kick the drunken bandwagon commander.
ReplyDelete